K-State Q&A: Some thoughts on Will Howard, Avery Johnson, football transfers and more

It’s time for another K-State Q&A.

No need for an elaborate introduction this week. You guys submitted a near record number of questions coming off the regular-season finale in football, so we me might as well dive right in.

Thanks, as always, for providing them.

Please tell us the real reason why Will Howard decided to transfer. — Andrew B. via e-mail

This isn’t a complicated answer. There is no inside info to share.

If Will Howard plays another year of college football he wants to be the unquestioned QB1 for his team. And that simply wasn’t going to happen for him if he remained at K-State.

Will Howard’s time as the K-State starter was coming to an end. He knew it. I knew it. You knew it. Things would have been incredibly awkward at quarterback next season had Howard decided to return for another year with Avery Johnson challenging him for playing team every step of the way.

I mean, Howard barely held off Johnson this season. Think about that for a second. Howard threw for 2,643 yards and 24 touchdowns as a senior, numbers that were good enough to earn him a spot on the All-Big 12 second team. And there was still the word “or” listed between him and Johnson on the depth chart.

It’s clear to everyone that Johnson is the quarterback of the future. And it’s time for him to start playing more.

Maybe 20 years ago everyone would have been cool with Howard starting for one more season and Johnson getting his shot later. But that’s not how things work anymore. It’s possible Johnson could have looked to transfer if Howard came back.

The best situation for all parties is for Howard to turn pro or play for a different college team next season while Johnson showcases his talents as the QB1 at K-State.

Howard realized that and decided to move on. Smart move, if you ask me.

K-State fans should remember him fondly. He won a Big 12 championship at K-State and set the program record for career touchdown passes. Few other quarterbacks have shown more growth and perseverance than Howard. There was nothing else for him to accomplish here.

This situation reminded me a lot of the final year that Alex Smith spent with the Kansas City Chiefs. He was a great quarterback and the fans appreciated everything he did. But Patrick Mahomes was clearly better and ready to start after spending one year on the sideline. Smith was traded. Mahomes blasted off into the stratosphere. It worked out for both parties. Hopefully something similar happens here.

Sorry to see Will Howard enter the transfer portal, although I understand the logic. He did whatever was asked of him and generally represented our university very well (not to mention delivering a Big XII championship). Do you still expect his younger brother to honor his commitment to K-State, or will he look elsewhere like Seth Porter’s younger brother Shane? Also, do you foresee any members of last Saturday’s defense being asked to consider entering the portal due to (what appeared to be) lackadaisical effort and unwillingness to exert maximum effort for their team in an uncomfortable (snow, cold) environment? — Kirk Z. via e-mail

Ryan Howard, a 6-foot-7 and 315-pound offensive tackle, has told other media outlets that he remains committed to K-State even though his older brother will not be playing there next season.

That doesn’t come as much of a surprise. Surely he knew this might happen.

He has been committed to K-State since January, so he has already made friends in his recruiting class and on the active roster. I look forward to seeing what he can do on the offensive line.

As for the second part of your question ...

Why do you think Will Lee leaving? Did it come as a surprise to the staff? — @KStateFBFan via X

I think he sealed his fate when he delivered the worst tackle attempt in K-State history last weekend against Iowa State.

Rather than drive ISU running back Abu Sama to the ground, Lee nudged him from behind and inadvertently pushed him into the end zone as if he was giving him a speed boost.

K-State coaches couldn’t have fought him very hard to stay, even though he did show talent this season. I think defensive coordinator Joe Klanderman would rather rely on Jacob Parrish and Keenan Garber next season.

What the heck is going on with the football program? That was a lot of portals less than a week after the last game. Then add onto the last presser from HC. Kinda makes ya think not all is well. — @Flynn_Lives_84 via X

One thing college football fans all across the country need to do is stop viewing transfers as a sign of upheaval.

Good teams are going to lose transfers. Bad teams are going to lose transfers. No one is immune. It’s the new reality.

Transfers can leave for so many reasons, too. Some are excellent players who are unhappy with their current team. Those are the ones you don’t want to lose. Others are mediocre players looking for increased playing time. Some transfers are encouraged to leave by their coaches. It’s never a big deal to lose those transfers.

Before jumping to any conclusions about a team, you must first look at the quality of departing players.

Right now, I see no cause for alarm with the Wildcats. Yes, they have lost nine transfers since the season ended. That isn’t a large number in today’s climate. When the transfer window officially opens next week, you are going to see tons of movement. Playoff teams might even lose a few transfers.

The question to ask with K-State: How many of its departing transfers are significant losses? Maybe three. And none of them were guaranteed to start at their positions next season.

Strange as it is to see someone like Will Howard leave, even that is becoming a common occurrence. Just look at all the other veteran quarterbacks who have joined him in the portal.

Lee was a starting defensive back this season, so his absence could be felt. Same with running back Treshaun Ward, but he played second fiddle to DJ Giddens.

I’m guessing casual fans couldn’t even tell you what positions most of the other transfers played — Adryan Lara, Shane Porter, Jordan Wright, Wesley Watson, Collin Dunn.

One last note: Every team needs some roster turnover. It’s healthy.

K-State hardly lost any transfers last season, because everyone wanted to stick around after winning the Big 12. That sounded great at the time, but it limited the amount of talent that coaches could add from the portal. In hindsight, I bet Chris Klieman wishes more players would have left.

Will Cooper Beebe play in the bowl game? — @EliScales4 via X

Good question.

There isn’t much reason for Cooper Beebe to play for K-State in the bowl game. He is projected as an early pick in the 2024 NFL Draft, and those are the types of players that usually choose to “opt out” of bowl games. But he also bleeds purple.

Remember, there wasn’t much reason for him to remain in school this season. He could have been a third-round pick in last year’s draft. But he stayed at K-State for the love of his school and the love of his teammates.

For his efforts, Beebe was once again named Big 12 Offensive Lineman of the Year. He is also up for the Outland Trophy. His name will almost certainly be added to the K-State ring of honor down the road.

There is nothing else for him to accomplish by playing in the Pop-Tarts Bowl or the Texas Bowl. But there also isn’t a ton of injury risk at left guard. Maybe he will want to go out a winner.

The smart move would be for him to sit this one out. But something tells me he might choose to play anyway.

What does the current depth chart look like with all the defections and Seniors leaving? — @WickhamII via X

Avery Johnson starting at quarterback instead of Will Howard is the most notable difference.

Backup QB for the bowl game will also be worth monitoring, as the Wildcats may need safety Max Marsh to help out as a reserve option.

Anthony Frias should take over for Treshaun Ward as the No. 2 running back.

There are no other major changes, as of now. But things could change if players decide to “opt out” closer to the bowl game.

Are there any players returning for the super senior year? — @oldmanbytheowl via X

Yes.

I don’t think any seniors on the K-State football team have gone on social media and declared to the world that they will be back. But some are most definitely planning a return.

It’s a good bet that we will see safety Kobe Savage, cornerback Keenan Garber, defensive tackle Uso Seumalo and offensive lineman Taylor Poitier back for another year.

Savage didn’t even participate in senior day festivities last week. So that should tell you what he has planned.

There could be a few more than that. But those are the names I feel confident in at the moment.

What magic is needed to salvage a less than stellar football recruiting class … especially after losing a couple of big targets recently. — @gfreez via X

Depending on your recruiting service of choice, K-State’s 2024 class currently sits around No. 70 nationally. That puts the Wildcats near the bottom of the Big 12.

That’s not great.

Missing on offensive lineman Grant Brix (Nebraska) and linebacker Michael Boganowski (Oklahoma) really hurt the Wildcats this cycle.

Unfortunately, there aren’t any high school recruits left out there that will make this a top 25 class before early signing day. The best thing K-State can do right now is recruit at important positions of need and then land some big names out of the transfer portal.

How soon do you think Tomlin’s return will be? — @SpaceSpiracy via X

Let me start by saying I don’t think we will get advanced warning.

I expect Jerome Tang to continue saying that Nae’Qwan Tomlin is suspended until the moment we see him warming up for a game. My guess is that happens at some point in December.

Shortly after Tomlin was arrested for disorderly conduct in October, an insider told me that Tomlin would likely remain out until January. For whatever reason, it made sense for Tomlin to sit out the rest of the fall semester and start fresh in 2024.

Tomlin has since been granted diversion, which means there are no longer any legal issues hanging over his head. So we could see him back on the court sooner than later. He has already served what amounts to a seven-game suspension. That feels like long enough. Maybe it isn’t for a coach like Jerome Tang, who would much rather his players be resting at 2 a.m. instead of getting into fights at a bar.

The other issue to consider here is that Tomlin was away from the team for “personal reasons” before his arrest, which means he may need time to get back into game shape.

I wish I had a definitive answer for you. Tomlin could play on Saturday against North Alabama. He might be out until the start of conference play. His return will probably end up being a surprise.

What the status of Taj Manning? Plenty of hype but he hasn’t seen much time on the court. — @JoeyBags15 via X

The redshirt freshman is still an active member of the K-State basketball team. He has played in three games this season, and he even scored against Central Arkansas.

But much more was expected of him.

Jerome Tang had nothing but good things to say about Manning when he was on the scout team last season. Things are different now. I’m not exactly sure why Tang has buried Manning on the bench, but he isn’t afraid to take away anyone’s playing time when they aren’t bringing it in practice.

My guess is we are just witnessing some growing pains. We may see more of Manning as the season progresses.

Were you surprised the volleyball team didn’t make the tournament? Were people around the Athletic Department? I’d hoped & expected several huge wins over the past month would offset mediocre computer numbers & early-season struggles. — @danmerker via X

Surprised? No.

That wouldn’t be the right word. The Wildcats didn’t have a great record or a strong RPI on the volleyball court. It takes a lot of big wins to make up for those two shortcomings.

But I did think the team had a chance of making the tournament field, so I scanned the bracket after it was released. Too bad. K-State was probably good enough to win a match in the NCAA Tournament. The hope is the team will be more consistent from start to finish next year.